Volleyball playoffs: Five-set thriller preps TVL schools, brackets released Friday
Ripon Christian and Sonora got their taste of the postseason before the playoffs even started.
The Trans-Valley League foes faced off Thursday night in the final game of the regular season in a five-set thriller.
Just like their first league matchup this season, the Knights-Wildcats game went the distance. The first time, the Knights took the victory, winning the second, third and fifth sets. Thursday, though, Sonora earned the regular season split, winning three of five hard-fought sets, 30-28, 25-23, 15-25, 20-25, 15-13.
Going into Thursday’s match, Knights head coach Kayla Kootstra said she hoped her team would not get into a two-set hole, but she was also pleased with the way they battled back to win the third set by 10 points and earn a five-point fourth-set win, the two largest victory margins in the match. The two-time state champion coach said finishing matches had been a focal point all season and one thing she wants to see the team improve on.
“Hopefully we haven’t played our best volleyball yet,” Kootstra said. “Because that’s what playoffs are all about. (Thursday night) was a good preview of where we need to be and what we need to work on if we’re going to go as far as we hope to next week and continuing on.”
The Knights finished winning five of their last seven regular season matches and on Friday earned the No. 2 seed in the Division III bracket behind the school they share a street with, Ripon High.
Ripon is looking for its fourth straight section title game appearance across different divisions and has won two blue banners in three appearances, led by University of the Pacific commit and reigning Bee Player of the Year Adriana Dorn.
Sonora has been playing in thrilling, playoff-like atmospheres for the past two weeks, head coach Amy Wahlbrink said.
Three of the Wildcats’ final four TVL matches went the distance. They lost in five to Hilmar and Hughson in back-to-back matches, used those as learning experiences and pulled out the big five-set thriller over the Knights.
“I feel like we’ve just got our confidence back that we need to move into playoffs,” Wahlbrink said after Thursday’s match against Ripon Christian. “We needed this game tonight to bring our confidence back to head into playoffs being as good as we know we are. We’re ready to battle.”
The CIF Sac-Joaquin Section released its volleyball playoff brackets Friday afternoon. First-round matches are Oct. 28 and play-in matches are Oct. 27. All matches are at 6 p.m. unless otherwise stated.
Sonora is the top seed in Division IV, a bracket that includes Stanislaus District teams Hughson (No. 3), Escalon (No. 4), Central Catholic (No. 12) and Orestimba (No. 15).
Pitman High is the highest ranked team out of the Central California Athletic League after winning its third straight undefeated league title. The Pride and Portland State commit Maryn Hall have won 38 straight CCAL matches. Pitman is the No. 5 seed in Division I, Turlock is the No. 9 seed and Downey is No. 10.
2025 Sac-Joaquin Section Volleyball Playoffs
Division I
Play-in
Oct. 27
Grace Davis at Tokay
Edison at Mountain House
First Round
Oct. 28
Tokay/Grace Davis at No. 1 Folsom
No. 9 Turlock at No. 8 Davis
No. 12 Franklin at No. 5 Pitman
No. 13 McClatchy at No. 4 St. Mary’s
No. 14 Laguna Creek at No. 3 Oak Ridge
No. 11 Inderkum at No. 6 Pleasant Grove
No. 10 Downey at No. 7 River City
Mountain House/Edison at No. 2 West Park
Division II
Play-in
Oct. 27
Kennedy at Atwater
First Round
Oct. 28
Atwater/Kennedy at No. 1 Rocklin
No. 9 Lodi at No. 8 Vacaville
No. 12 Manteca at No. 5 El Capitan
No. 13 Buhach Colony at No. 4 St. Francis
No. 14 Armijo at No. 3 Del Oro
No. 11 Tracy at No. 6 Vista del Lago
No. 10 Granite Bay at No. 7 Rio Americano
No. 15 Whitney at No. 2 Woodcreek
Division III
Play-in
Oct. 27
Beyer at McNair
Burbank at Twelve Bridges
First Round
Oct. 28
McNair/Beyer at No. 1 Ripon
No. 9 River Valley at No. 8 Oakdale
No. 12 Ponderosa at No. 5 Pioneer
No. 13 Sierra at No. 4 Roseville
No. 14 Yuba City at No. 3 Christian Brothers
No. 11 Oakmont at No. 6 Nevada Union
No. 10 Los Banos at No. 7 Lathrop
Twelve Bridges/Burbank at No. 2 Ripon Christian
Division IV
No. 16 Venture Academy at No. 1 Sonora
No. 9 Wheatland at No. 8 River Islands
No. 12 Central Catholic at No. 5 El Dorado
No. 13 Liberty Ranch at No. 4 Escalon
No. 14 Casa Roble at No. 3 Hughson
No. 11 Woodland at No. 6 Union Mine
No. 10 Placer at No. 7 Calaveras
No. 15 Orestimba at No. 2 West Campus
Division V
Play-in
Oct. 27
Westlake Charter at Destiny Christian Academy
First Round
Oct. 28
Destiny Christian Academy/Westlake Charter at No. 1 Bear River
No. 9 Ben Holt College Prep at No. 8 Western Sierra
No. 12 Bret Harte at No. 5 Mariposa County
No. 13 John Adams Academy at No. 4 Colfax
No. 14 Buckingham Charter at No. 3 Sutter
No. 11 Amador at No. 6 Linden
No. 15 Leroy Greene Academy at No. 2 Hilmar
Division VI
Play-in
Oct. 27
Vanguard College Prep at Esparto
First Round
Oct. 28
Esparto/Vanguard College Prep at No. 1 Big Valley Christian
No. 9 Elliot Christian at No. 8 Stone Ridge Christian
No. 12 Denair at No. 5 Woodland Christian
No. 13 Rio Vista at No. 4 Sacramento Waldorf
No. 14 Valley Christian at No. 3 Forest Lake Christian
No. 11 Foresthill at No. 6 John Adams Academy
No. 10 Sacramento Country Day at Vacaville Christian (at Will C. Wood High)
No. 15 Delta Charter at No. 2 Faith Christian
